


Holding Together the Pieces

by MaximusMeridian



Category: The Umbrella Academy (TV)
Genre: As in Klaus is super sad then giggly by the end, Descriptions of Vietnam, Heavy Angst, Look it just felt too heavy and I wanted to lighten it up at the end, M/M, mentions of dave, unrealistic emotions
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-02
Updated: 2019-04-02
Packaged: 2019-12-30 19:23:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,059
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18321653
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MaximusMeridian/pseuds/MaximusMeridian
Summary: Klaus is trying desperately to keep from using, so he goes to the one living sibling he knows he can talk to. Little did they both know, opening up can lead to old feelings resurfacing and new relationships developing





	Holding Together the Pieces

Something Diego had gotten used to from living on his own in a boiler room, was quiet. Was not having people knocking on his door at random hours of the night.

        Being back at home, trying to prevent the apocalypse, after your sister almost killed your other sister? Yeah, someone is going to come bother him.

        “It’s open.” Diego turned to face the door. He’d just taken a shower so he was only wearing a pair of sweat pants, having been digging through his things for a t-shirt.

        The door opened slowly, revealing Klaus’s sheepish face.

        Klaus and sheepish, in the same sentence. Wow, it really is the end of the world.

        “Hey Diego,” Klaus said softly, slowly stepping inside and closing the door. “I know you’re probably busy and all. But, um,” He bounced on his heels, wringing his hands and looking anywhere but Diego’s face.

        “Are you high?” Diego asked bluntly. “I’m not dealing with you if you’re off your ass high.”

        “I’m not!” Klaus insisted. “I’m… almost forty-eight hours clean.” He chuckled nervously, looking at Diego. “I know, it isn’t much, but… I’m really trying this time. And I was going to take the last of my pills tonight, but… I tossed them. And I thought I could hang out with you maybe? Just, just long enough to take my mind off of it?”

        Diego blinked in surprise. He stood in stunned silence for several long moments before asking slowly. “So, you didn’t take the pills?”

        Klaus shook his head quickly. “None. I really… I really, really wanted to, but I-I didn’t.”

        Diego nodded slowly, gesturing for Klaus to sit on the bed. “Forty-eight hours, huh? How long’s it been since you were clean for that long?”

        “Not that long.” Klaus said, sitting down on the bed and pulling his knees to his chest. “Nothing to take in ‘Nam. And… and I wanted to remember Dave, so…”

        Klaus drifted off, his expression getting sadder at the mention of the man.

        “I’m sorry.” Diego said softly, moving to sit on the bed beside him and putting a hand on his shoulder after only a moment of hesitation. “You, uh, y-you want to tell me about him?”

        He was shit at comforting people. At emotions in general, hell, they all were. But, Klaus had been one of the people he was closest to growing up. Next to maybe Ben. He wanted to at least try to help him.

        Klaus smiled sadly. “He was amazing. Dave was sweet and strong… he never acted like my weirdness was bad. He’d smile and just enjoy it. We danced at a disco… and after a few drinks, we kissed.” He sighed dreamily, though his eyes were welling with tears.

        “We soldiered together for months. Side by side in the fox hole in every fight.” Klaus continued, wiping his eyes on the back of his arm. “Then, during one of the fire fights… I turned to talk to him. I don’t even remember what I wanted to say. But, I-I turned to look at him and he…” Klaus’s voice broke and the tears started to brim over. “He was already getting pale. I rolled him over onto his back… and there was a shot right through his chest… dead center. Ha, ha! Dead!”

        He sobbed quietly, and Diego had to fight not to start crying himself.

        “I tried to stop the bleeding.” Klaus started to speak again, his eyes were glazed over, like he was reliving the moment instead of just retelling it. “I screamed… I called for the medic. But… but I lost him. I watched him die. And I couldn’t do anything to stop it.”

        He blinked slowly, turning to look at Diego. His big eyes were wet, eyeliner streaking down his cheeks with the tears. “I came back right after that. I was still covered in blood… still in my vest and tags…”

        Diego reached over gently, cupping Klaus’s chin and gently pulling his attention over. “Hey, come back to me, Klaus. You’re here. It’s over. It hurts, I know, but it’s over.”

        “I can’t see him.” Klaus whispered hoarsely. “I’ve tried. To call him. To conjure him. Manifest him, whatever. I can’t see him. I-I tried to get sober so it was easier. But I can’t find him! Like he isn’t listening. Maybe he saw how much of a mess I am and didn’t want to be around me anymore.”

        His body shook with the force of his sobs, and he collapsed against Diego’s chest.

        Diego was frozen in place, just wrapping his arms around Klaus and holding him as he cried. When was the last time any of them had just, let go and cry? Just be human and feel?

        “I got you, Klaus.” Diego whispered, rubbing his back gently. “I got you…”

        “Why wasn’t it me?” Klaus whispered. “I was right beside him. I could have been shot just as easy.”

        “And you’d want him to be the one to suffer?” Diego asked softly. “If it was you, Dave would be the one crying. ‘Cept he’d still be in a war hurting.”

        Klaus sniffled, seeming to at least try to settle a little. “Y-yeah, I guess that’s true…”

        Diego smiled faintly, gently wiping Klaus’s eyes. “And you made those last days amazing, Klaus. Even in the middle of a war… you gave him hope and happiness.”

        “Yeah?” Klaus wiped his nose. “Yeah, maybe… maybe that’s enough.”

        “You’ll see Dave one day again.” Diego promised. “But, I think maybe he’s trying not to hurt you. Maybe he wants you to have time to heal.”

        Klaus sniffled again, nodding slowly. “You think he’d be proud? That I’m trying to clean up? I know the end of the world is coming and shit, but, I want to go out clean.”

        “I know I am.” Diego smiled, pressing his forehead to Klaus’s temple. “You’re doing so good, man. And I’m proud of you.”

        “I don’t think anyone has ever said that to me before.” Klaus said quietly. “Ever.”

        “I think we all could have used more of that.” Diego agreed, slowly pulling away from where he’d been resting against the other man.

        “I don’t want to be alone for the end of the world.” Klaus whispered. “It scares the shit out of me, Diego.”

        “Yeah, I’m not thrilled with that either.” Diego agreed.

        Klaus looked up at him, smiling faintly. “Then let’s stay like this when it goes to shit. Just… keeping each other together until the end.”

        “You don’t think we’ll stop the apocalypse?” Diego asked.

        Klaus laughed, the sound watery and hoarse from his earlier crying. “Sure, yeah. Our ragtag group of screw up ex heroes is going to stop the end of the world.”

        Diego chuckled softly. “Yeah… maybe you’re right.” He hesitated for a moment before asking, smiling at the memory. “You remember when we’d bunker down together in here after a rough mission? Or when you had a nightmare… or, hell, when everything got too loud for you.”

        Klaus smiled a little, nodding his head slightly. “Yeah, you didn’t look at me weird for it. You’d just lift the blanket and let me crawl in beside you. You always rubbed my back until you thought I was asleep.”

        “I knew you were asleep.” Diego corrected.

        “Then how did I hear what you said afterwards?” Klaus asked pointedly.

        Diego faltered, swallowing thickly. “Wh-what do you think I said? Maybe you dreamed it.”

        Klaus smirked, “There’s that little stutter… you know exactly what you said.”

        “Don’t know wh-what you’re talking about.” Diego protested, wincing at the way his voice betrayed him.

        “So you never leaned in to my ear and promised that you wouldn’t let anything hurt me? That you’d protect me no matter what?” Klaus raised an eyebrow. “Sure, and I’ve never dyed my pubes.”

        “You _dyed your pubes_?” Diego asked in surprise.

        “Before I tried waxing, yeah.” Klaus sighed dramatically. “Hot pink, but that’s not the point! You’re avoiding the question.”

        “Alright, yeah, I… I said that stuff.” Diego confessed. “You needed to feel safe and… and I wanted to be the one who made that happen. Honestly, I still do.”

        “Why?” Klaus whispered. “Why am I special?”

        Diego smiled sadly. “You looked up to me. When we were little, you’d smile at me like I was the leader… like I was the genius. And I wanted to deserve that.”

        “Of course I looked up to you.” Klaus whispered. “I… I loved you. But, you always said we were family and shit like that…”

        “Wait, _what_?” Diego asked in shock. “What do you mean?”

        Klaus looked down guiltily. “I loved you. Not like a brother, but like… for real.”

        “Like…” Diego faltered, trying to wrap his head around that. “Me?”

        “Yes, you.” Klaus rolled his eyes, leaning closer until their foreheads together. “And now… the world is going to shit anyway, might as well tell you.”

        Diego smiled, leaning in the last little bit and pressing his lips to Klaus’s _. He couldn’t voice it back. He didn’t know what love he felt for Klaus. He knew he wanted to take care of Klaus. He knew he wanted to hold him and comfort him and never let him go._

_Shit. That’s love, isn’t it? At least, some form of it._

        Klaus pulled back then from the kiss, blinking slowly. “Um, that… I was not expecting that reaction.”

        “What did you expect?” Diego asked curiously.

        “Being punched maybe?” Klaus shrugged. “I dunno.”

        Diego chuckled softly. “Nah, this is more fun.” He leaned in again, wrapping one hand around the back of Klaus’s neck to pull him into another kiss, deeper and longer than the last.

        When they parted this time, Diego was grinning like an idiot. He leaned Klaus back on the bed, so that Diego was looking down at him. “Old feelings don’t mean you want this to be a big deal… I know you loved_”

        “You’re right.” Klaus nodded. “I did love Dave. And I still do… But, he's gone. And I can either drown myself in drugs while the world burns... Or I can enjoy the great guy I've got right here.”

        Diego’s smiled grew and he leaned down, pressing another kiss to Klaus’s lips. “You’re not going to get rid of me now, y’know?”

        “Good.” Klaus smiled. “Because your kisses? Are really fucking addictive.”

        Diego laughed, laying on his side and pulling Klaus against his chest. “Enough to keep you off the other shit?”

        Klaus sighed dramatically. “I don’t know… maybe I need another taste to decide if you’re my new favorite.”

        Diego rolled his eyes, grabbing Klaus by his chin and pulling him quickly. He took advantage of Klaus’s sudden gasp to add his tongue to the kiss, teasing and stroking against Klaus’s like it was a dance.

        It was a dance that Klaus easily followed his lead in, melting down against the bed and pulling Diego back over him.

        Klaus turned his head to the side, breathing heavily and barely looking at Diego through heavy lidded eyes. Diego didn’t stop there though, pressing quick kisses down the length of Klaus’s throat, causing a bubbly and giggling laugh from the smaller man.

        “Okay, _okay_ , you’re my favorite now.” Klaus insisted, swatting at his chest. “You win.”

        “Damn right I do.” Diego grinned, pressing one quick biting kiss to Klaus’s exposed collarbone. “Now come on, you need to rest. Something tells me tomorrow is going to be a long ass day.”

        “You expect me to sleep after all that?” Klaus gasped, eyes wide.

        “Damn right I do.” Diego smirked. “Gotta keep you coming back, don’t I?”

        “You’re as mean as dad.” Klaus pouted.

        “I’m not Dad.” Diego scoffed.

        “you’re right. I don’t have those kinds of daddy issues…” Klaus hummed, cocking his head. “Ooh, I got it! You’re Hispanic, right? So… what about _Papi_?”

        “I don’t speak Spanish, Klaus.” Diego pointed out.

        “It’s Daddy in Spanish.” Klaus giggled, his face split into a huge grin.

        “That’s kinda weird, Klaus. Even for you.” Diego rolled his eyes.

        “But I like it.” Klaus pouted. “because you take care of me. You’re Spanish… and I think it’s sexy.”

        Diego rolled his eyes. “Alright, fine. Just… not like in front of people, okay?”

        “Okay.” Klaus grinned, a look that spoke to how he would not respect that request.

**Author's Note:**

> As I said in the tags, I KNOW Klaus bounces between emotions very quickly. But I felt like it worked well in this concept. Because I can't just write sad shit. Just can't do it. Sorry.
> 
> If you liked this, please leave a comment or kudos and consider checking out my series about the Umbrella Academy that I'm currently working on. It's going to be much better quality than this!


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